As temperatures drop and your backyard is covered in fallen leaves, it’s easy to assume that apart from clearing your lawn, gardening takes a backseat until spring. But in reality, it is just the start of your spring garden.

The secret to a lush display of cheery daffodils, tulips and crocuses starts well before you spot the first shoots breaking through the soil. These bright blooms depend on the cool earth to take root, which is why the work to create a beautiful spring garden starts right now.

Most spring bulbs need a period of cold to initiate flowering — a process known as vernalization. That’s why mid to late fall is a good time to plant bulbs.

"You want to plant before the soil has cooled off, but before it freezes," says Lindsay Chastain, author at Waddle & Cluck

Getting the timing right allows the bulb to develop a strong root system and bloom fully in spring, without sprouting too early, explains Marina Prokaten, plant expert at Plantum.

Because bulbs should be planted in the ground before the soil freezes, timing depends on your local climate.

“In colder northern regions, your planting window is September and October, for the most part," explains Chastain. "In moderate climates, October through November, and in warmer regions, you can often wait until November or December.”

To give your bulbs the best chance, Chastain advises planting them about six weeks before your area’s typical hard freeze.

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